Tusk
Tusk is an immortal barbarian characterized by his preternatural strength and two-handed greatswords. A playable character first introduced in the 1996 arcade game of Killer Instinct 2, Tusk returned as the fourth character in the 3rd season of Killer Instinct (2013) on Xbox One and Windows 10. Appearance In Killer Instinct 2, Tusk has the appearance of an ancient tribal warrior from northern Europe, who is dressed only in fur leather boots, a belt with a skull for a buckle, a fur-lined loincloth around his waist, and has a large tattoo of a green dragon painted across his torso; his long locks of blond hair are drawn tightly against the back of his head and are cinched closely together. In Killer Instinct (2013), Tusk takes on a much more Viking-like appearance. He retains his blond hair, but it has become shorter and now features a braided beard. His face appears much more elderly and stern than before. He wears a baldric over his right shoulder and modern-looking black pants torn off at the knee with a tattered green tartan around his waist, a brown belt and a gold buckle with several pouches strapped to his back, and has a white sash tied to the waist. He retains his fur-trimmed leather boots, but also gained fur and leather vambraces on his forearms. His tattoo now represents a Viking motif featuring rune markings which glows red when Instinct Mode is full, and his greatsword Warg-gram has intricate designs carved into its blade. During battle, the blade will begin to heat up and glow red-hot. Killer Instinct 2 Story With the return of the Demon Lord to the land, Tusk leaves the arena to issue his challenge. Only by defeating all adversaries can a hero gain the right to face the evil Gargos. Extended Story A barbarian killing machine from the cold wastelands to the north, Tusk is the last of a warrior caste decimated by the bitter rivalry of the Warlords and finally reduced to a sole survivor during their costly banishment to Limbo. He now lives in wealth and glory as Champion of the old world’s Gladiatorial Arena; but when the demonic shadow of Gargos rises again, Tusk sets his jaw, takes up his blade and casts aside all other responsibilities to settle this blood feud once and for all. Stage: Stonehedge Moveset *Web Of Death: Quarter Forward, Down, Quarter Back, Fierce Punch Opener *Boot Kick: Quarter Forward, Down, Quarter Back, Any Kick Opener *Skull Splitter: Quarter Back, Down, Quarter Forward, Fierce Kick Opener *Back Stab: Forward, Quarter Forward, Down, Quarter Back, Back, Quick Punch Opener *Conqueror: Forward, Down, Quarter Forward, Any Punch *Fake Skull Splitter: Down, Quarter Forward, Forward, Quick Kick *Air Double: Quarter Forward, Down, Quarter Back, Any Kick *Throw: Forward, Fierce Kick *Reverse Throw: Back, Fierce Kick An Opponent's Throw Move *Parry Move: Back, Hold Quick Punch *Pressure Move: Forward, Fierce Punch Special Moves *Combo Breaker: Forward, Down, Quarter Forward, Any Punch And Any Kick *Ultra Combo Breaker: Down, Quarter Back, Back, Quarter Back, Down, Quarter Forward, Forward, Fierce Punch 6 Super Bar Blocks *Mini-Ultra: Back, Quarter Back, Down, Quarter Forward, Forward, Medium Punch *Ultra Combo: Forward, Quarter Forward, Down, Quarter Back, Back, Medium Punch *Ultimate Combo: Forward, Down, Quarter Forward, Medium Kick *0-Ultimate Combo: Down, Quarter Forward, Forward, Down, Quarter Forward, Forward, Medium Punch Super Moves *Super Boot Kick: Quarter Forward, Down, Quarter Back, Forward, Fierce Kick 3 Super Bar Blocks *Super Web Of Death: Down, Quarter Forward, Forward, Back, Fierce Punch 3 Super Bar Blocks *Shadow Move: Quarter Back, Down, Quarter Forward, Back, Fierce Kick 3 Super Bar Blocks *Pillar Of Flames: Quarter Back, Down, Quarter Forward, Back, Quick Kick 4 Super Bar Blocks *Super Conqueror: Down, Quarter Back, Back, Quarter Back, Down, Quarter Forward, Forward, Fierce Punch 6 Super Bar Blocks End Specials *End Special 1: Forward, Quarter Forward, Down, Quarter Back, Back, Quick Punch, Quick Punch *End Special 2: Forward, Down, Quarter Forward, Any Punch, Fierce Punch *End Special 3: Quarter Back, Down, Quarter Forward, Fierce Kick, Fierce Kick *End Special 4: Forward, Down, Quarter Back, Any Kick, Fierce Kick *End Special 5: Forward, Down, Quarter Forward, Quick Punch First 4 Enders Endings Kill Maya, Don't Kill Combo: Tusk has achieved his goal and now awaits a greater challenge. With another challenge successfully completed, Tusk thirsts once more for battle. He begins the arduous journey back to the arena. With younger and more skilled fighters around every corner, Tusk wonders how long he'll remain champion. Kill Combo, Don't Kill Maya: Tusk has achieved his goal and now awaits a greater challenge. Finding one of his past adversaries particularly grateful to him for destroying Gargos, he escorts Maya back to her homeland. Tusk and Maya wed and embark on a long rule over Amazonia. Tusk is never truly happy, his thirst for battle remaining unquenched. Don't Kill Maya and Combo: Tusk has achieved his goal and now awaits a greater challenge. Finding one of his past adversaries particularly grateful to him for destroying Gargos, he escorts Maya back to her homeland. But the thirst for battle soon calls again and Tusk returns to the arena to continue his life as a warrior, leaving Maya with her people. Kill Combo and Maya: ''Tusk has achieved his goal and now awaits a greater challenge. With another challenge successfully completed, Tusk thirsts once more for battle. He begins the arduous journey back to the arena. For now at least, he lives only for the fight. More than living up to his now legendary reputation, Tusk goes on to become the greatest undefeated champion ever seen. ''KI Gold Ending: None of his enemies possessed the skill to prevent his hard fought victory. The mighty tasks of the warrior Tusk are written into legend this day. But, the achievements are but a small part of what is to come. Tusk must face new adventures and experience greater dangers. But that is another story... Killer Instinct (2013) Tusk's teaser trailer was released on February 24, 2016. It showed Tusk's new greatsword, Warg-gram, and much of his body. His face was revealed on March 1, 2016. Tusk became a playable character for Season 3 of Killer Instinct (2013) on March 29th, 2016. Story The immortal Watchman of the Gods, the colossal barbarian known as Tusk is a deathless warrior who has lived for ten thousand years and has honed his ability as a swordsman for all that time. Mysteriously robbed of his memories, Tusk sat idle as Gargos commenced his conquest of the world. Now awakened from his stupor, the legendary Watchman sets out to find and slay the demonic warlord. Wielding his arcane blade Warg-gram, Tusk smashes and cuts through his hapless foes with a primal power, his solution to defense: the sheer force behind his massive assaults. Extended Story Chapter 2 — The Watchman Awakes: The sky had frozen solid while he’d slept. It was cold blue and streaked with crystalline clouds. But the clouds did not move, and the blurred light from the sun illuminated this strange vision as though it was emanating from behind a thick wall of rippled glass. The man stared at this beautiful vision as he slowly came to his senses. He lay there quietly trying to remember his own name. Trying to remember how he’d gotten here. But nothing came to him. His mind was muddled. Who am I? He blinked and tried to lift his head, but it was stuck to the ground. Reaching behind his neck he yanked free his frozen hair. Then he sat up and yawned. A great jaw-cracking yawn coupled with a throaty exhalation—the sound a polar bear might make after a winter’s rest. The vapor from his breath filled the air, rising upward toward the blue vault above. It’s not a sky… Standing on stiff legs he reached up toward the bluish light. His hand touched cold hard ice. He scraped his fingernail across the smooth surface, plowing a thin furrow in this ceiling. He was inside an ancient glacier. But how…and why? His eyes alighted on a metal object lying on the white floor. A massive double edged sword with a wolf’s head carving affixed to the grip between the cross-guard. The graven blade was covered with intricate inlaid runes. Warg-gram. The name had just popped into his head. A vision flashed in his mind’s eye: Towering creatures made of light, singing in a melodious tongue… beings comprised of pure energy, glowing like ice and stars. They had forged the blade and sent him to this world… but for what purpose? To kill? Or to save? Or both? He stared down at his muscular arms and bare chest. Saw the tattoos marked on his skin. Memories came rushing back. He had lived amongst the barbarous inhabitants of this world. Watching them grow from hearty children to feeble old ones, generation after generation. But he had never aged. All that time he’d been waiting for something: A great Enemy… but had he ever fought the thing? “What is my name?” he asked aloud; and his voice sounded deep and rough to his own ears inside the confined space of the ice cave. He knew he had been given many names over the thousands of years he had dwelled on this Earth. The Sea Marauders—the ones who traversed the Whale Roads in their sleek ships—had called him something in their own language. He had liked that name. But what was it? He ran the tip of his tongue over his teeth as he pondered the question. Then he laughed. Tunth-ska. That was it. Their name for him meant “''Tusk''” because his sword was like a great overgrown Walrus tooth. I am Tusk. He felt better to have an answer to at least one of his questions. But why had he come to this frozen chamber? Why had he abandoned the ones whom he had been sent to watch over and guide? Where was the Enemy? And how many years had passed while he had slept? He shook his head angrily. He did not like feeling so lost and out of sorts. It was like being drunk on mead, but without the fun. Bending down he placed his hand on Warg-gram’s familiar grip. The blade was frozen solid to the ground, but he ripped it free with a mere flick of his wrist. The weapon left an impression in the ice where it had been; and in this indentation lay a dark line, liked congealed blood. He inspected this closely. Nay, it was not blood, but a strip of cloth—a piece of old red silk. He put this clue in the leather pouch that he wore on his belt, then looked around the cave, searching for an entrance that was not there. So I’ll make one. Warg-gram sang as he slashed it against the cave’s icebound wall; and shards of ice exploded as he carved his way to freedom. Tusk trudged for many miles in the deep snow. He had forgotten how much he hated walking in the white stuff. He made his way south for a day and a night and did not see anything but reindeer and rabbits. He did not know why he was heading in this direction. He simply felt like it was the right way to go. Finally, at dusk, he came to a small village where the people rode on metal machines that slid across the snow, making a horrible noise and belching out a constant stench that curled Tusk’s nostril hairs. The town seemed strangely familiar. As he strode down the main street many of the inhabitants gawked at him as if he was crazy, for he wore no shirt despite the brutal cold, with the great sword strapped to his naked back. “''I am Tusk'',” he said to them cheerfully. But the people ignored him and hurried on their way. He found himself in front of a marketplace that had many different items displayed in the window. It even had snow machines for sale out front with signs. “Snöskotor,” he read out loud. So that’s what they were called. The name of this country’s language popped into his head all of a sudden: Svensk…Swedish. He went inside and found a wall stacked with bottles and cylinders bearing different pictures. He recalled that the people of this age drank their beer from these stupid little containers. He tore the metal cap off one of the bottles with his bare hand, drinking its contents in one gulp. It was good, so he drank another. And another. “You’ll have to pay for those.” It was the shopkeeper. A woman. She was tall and strong-looking with a pretty oval face; and a long golden braid curling around her neck and hanging down her chest. Tusk liked the look of her. Her eyes traveled over his massive muscles and intricate tattoos. She had her own skin markings on her biceps, some of which vaguely resembled Tusk’s knot-designs. And she had piercings in her face like the Viking Völva—the seer-women who served the goddess Freya. “I’m no thief,” he said. “I have coin.” “You haven’t been here for a long time,” she said with a hurt tone. “Where did you go, anyway?” He pondered these questions for a moment. So he had been here before. “Sleeping,” he said at length. The woman frowned. “That’s a long nap.” “How long?” asked Tusk. “How long have I been away?” “Ummm…at least two years,” she said. “The last time I saw you, you were fighting with that crazy blue-skinned guy in the street. He came to the bar where you were drinking and tried to kill you.” “A warrior?” he asked with interest. “With blue skin, you say?" Like the Picts who painted themselves blue with woad dye and rushed into battle naked?” “I don’t know about that,” she said, “but he was a maniac. He wore a skull mask like some psycho American biker, and had a weapon—a weird saw-bladed sword. He was covered in tattoos like you. And he had this knee armor shaped like tiger’s heads. How can you not remember him?” Tusk wiped his mouth on his forearm and stared into space, trying to conjure the image of this berserker assassin—nay, this demon—whom she was describing. But nothing came to him and he let forth a resounding belch. Glancing at the woman he saw that she was staring back with a bewildered expression. “The two of you were tearing up the street!” she continued with an exasperated tone. “You chased the blue guy into the night and disappeared.” “And then?” he asked.“ The next morning, he staggered back into town alone. His hand was horribly burned. The police were here by then and they tried to question him, but he killed one of the officers and put the other in the hospital. The story made the papers.” Tusk pondered this for a time, consuming a few more bottles and a can of ale while he thought. He had absolutely no memory of what had happened, but the woman was obviously telling the truth. Who was this strange warrior whom he had fought? And how had he, Tusk, ended up in the ice cave with Warg-gram by his side? The blue-skinned warrior had obviously tried to pick up Warg-gram after Tusk was unconscious. That had been a mistake, for the blade would burn through anything other than Tusk’s hand. He and the blade had been made together… “Was the blue man ever caught?” he finally asked. “He vanished,” said the woman. And after a pause she added with a reproachful tone: “Just like you.” She put a hand on his forearm. “Did you and I ever lay together?” Tusk asked, concerned. “No. But I wanted to.” “I’m too old for you,” came Tusk’s blunt reply. “I’m nearly thirty,” she said laughing. “I’m older than I look.” “You look pretty good to me.” She turned and stood right in front of Tusk with her back to him, placed a hand on her hip in a fetching manner, then held up her cell phone, taking a picture with a flash of light, momentarily blinding the swordsman. “Why did you do that?” he asked with a growl. “I’m going to tweet this selfie,” she said. “You speak to wildfowl?” he asked. “So you are a seer?” She sighed and said, “I always fall for the handsome idiots.” “I’ll settle up now,” he replied. He reached into the leather purse at his belt and took out a small gold coin bearing the face of a long-dead king stamped onto one side, and a cross on the other. The woman took the coin and examined it for some time before replying, “This is worth too much for a couple of beers. I’m no expert, but this is old. And valuable.” “I wish to buy a snöskotor,” said Tusk. “And much more beer.” Tusk roared across the snowfields with two steel kegs of beer strapped to either side of his snöskotor, the wind whipping back his hair. This was much faster than walking, or even riding a horse. He found the path to Ice Haven—the cursed spot where the ice never melts. Here rested his doomed ship Wavewalker—the one that broke in half upon the ice so long ago during a great adventure. And here lay the corpses of some of his most hated enemies frozen in their death throes. He even saw the spirit of his old friend Hvítabiôrn the Ice Bear, plunging into the water, hunting for seal… This was a good spot to build a home. Warg-gram had been made for hewing heads, but it was better than the sharpest axe for felling trees. One blow and the blade sliced clean through a trunk the thickness of a stout man’s thigh. It only took two days to build a habitable place—a snug cabin with a smoke hole in the center. Every day Tusk went out hunting on the ice, or fishing at a place where the ice covering the water was thin. Sometimes he rode back into town and bought more supplies from the market, spending his dwindling stash of gold coins. Mostly he got provisions that he could not find in the wild like bread and cheese. And frozen cream with cherries. That was his favorite. The woman at the shop tried to entice him into laying with her, but Tusk only laughed and repeated, “I’m too old for you.” His blessing and his curse were the same thing: Immortality. Waves of sadness spread over him from time to time, making him long for a release… For a death that he knew would never occur. In this regard nothing was new. The sadness had always plagued him. He wished that he could go back to the town and ask the woman from the shop—Leena was her name—to be with him. But he had tried that before. Long ago he’d taken a wife, but he had remained young while she’d grown old, filling them both with despair. It was best to be alone. That was the duty of a Watchman. But why had the lords of the Astral plane—the Ichoriens, the ones who were also called Soul-Wrights—made him a Watchman in the first place? He would sit outside his new home staring at the cold and shimmering stars, trying to remember what had happened… Trying to piece together how he had ended up in the ice cave. But his recollections about the days leading up to the fight with the blue-skinned skull-masked man were gone, as though that part of his memory were a sword that had been plunged into a forge fire and heated until it had begun to glow and melt, erasing the words the smith had stamped on the blade. He knew that the blue warrior had done something to his mind. Robbed him of important memories. It was vexing that he could clearly recall the events of a day that took place a thousand years ago, but he could not dredge up anything about the time leading up to the fight with the blue warrior. One night, as he sat in front of the fire, he took out from his pouch the piece of silk he had found in the ice cave—the cloth that had been hidden under Warg-gram. Who had put it there? It was another annoying puzzle piece. A useless bit of nothing. Cursing, he tossed it on the fire; and as the cloth curled on the coals a strange vision unfurled before his eyes—a hideous winged gargoyle with glowing eyes… A cruel and vicious beast that mocked him. He could hear its harsh voice speaking in an ancient and evil tongue—a bastardization of the language of the Ichoriens: “Ashkal grood zel-ichor!” That is what it said, over and over again. Bellowing its hideous and cruel laugh. “I will flay your soul!” That is what the words meant. He remembered that much at least. This monster was no myth. It was real. But where had it spawned from? And what did Tusk have to do with it? The cloth had been woven with a spell of remembering. That much was evident. He gazed into Warg-gram and asked the sword to speak, and this time it obeyed, showing him a moving image on its glimmering blade: a young Asian woman wielding chain sticks and guarded by a celestial being in the guise of a dragon. Tusk saw the evil blue-skinned warrior with the skull mask looming behind her and he knew, in that moment, that the young woman’s fate would be tied to his, for good or ill. One day a great snowstorm came. Tusk sat in his house staring out the entrance at the whirling flakes for the longest time. Finally, as the sun was starting to go down he saw an apparition walking toward him out of the storm: It was a woman—wearing a long cloak with a hood partially hiding her face—striding purposefully toward him. The stranger stopped twenty paces away and peered into the cabin. Tusk noticed that her eyes glowed—they were lit by some internal fire, like the electric lights in the town. He grabbed Warg-gram and stepped out to meet her, for he’d realized that she was no vision, but a real and solid thing. “Who are you?” the stranger asked him with an artificial female voice. “An odd question for a stranger to ask on my land,” replied Tusk. “Where do you come from?” asked the stranger; and just then the raging wind whipped off her hood to reveal an impassive face forged from metal. Tusk stared at her with curiosity. Her visage resembled a golden death mask placed upon the face of a queen laid to rest in a barrow. Was she a fabricated thing like the snöskotor? Did she run on gasoline? “What are you?” he asked. “How did you hear of me?” “Your picture was broadcast on the Internet,” replied the stranger. “As well as stories of your ancient gold coins that you use to pay for things in the town. You drew attention to yourself.” “I am the Watchman,” Tusk said with a shrug. “What do you want?” The stranger’s eyes flashed a different color, and then a beam of blue light projected from them, scanning up and down Tusk’s body, lingering on his sword. “Your weapon,” she said. “It is fashioned from an unknown element. It is anomalous.” “Unknown to you,” said Tusk with a laugh. “It is more than just a sword,” she said abruptly. “You must come with me. I must learn about you, and your device.” “Storm will get worse,” said Tusk. “And I would rather stay here. I am waiting for a sign.” Behind the stranger, as if summoned by some unheard call, a giant lizard scurried forward from the darkness, staring menacingly at Tusk. It let forth a small burst of fire from its maw. “You have a little pet dragon,” Tusk observed with interest. “It is very ugly. And it stinks.” An armored manlike figure with glowing red eyes emerged from the storm, pointing a projectile weapon at Tusk. This newcomer was an automaton: a war-golem of some kind made of gears and wearing silver armor like a knight. Tusk had seen a war-golem before—a much bigger one made of bronze. But that had been thousands of years ago in Babylon. “You will not be harmed,” said the metallic woman, “unless you try to fight us.” "You will not be harmed,” replied Tusk, “unless you refuse to go.” The three attacked in unison before Tusk had time to react. The dragon exhaled a funnel of fire at him; the automaton blasted him with stinging projectiles; and the metallic woman kicked him in the gut with her heavy boot. Tusk fell to the ground and absorbed their flurry of blows, clutching his sword to his chest. But then Warg-gram started to glow, and the arcane runes inscribed upon its surface burst into red fire. Tusk felt the tattoos on his back searing his flesh… Causing him… Pain! He leapt up with a roar, swinging Warg-gram back and forth with a wild fury, sparks spraying forth as though blasted from a smithy’s furnace. He was'' unstoppable''. The automaton’s head went flying; the little dragon flipped over on its back, landing with a heavy thump in the snow where it writhed in agony; and the metallic woman stumbled backwards—jets of flame spewing from her torso. “''Death comes to all!” shouted Tusk. “Except for me!” The metallic woman held up a broken hand, but he lunged forward, swinging his blade, smashing her to pieces. He stood over the smoking parts, breathing hard. Suddenly two metal things flew past Tusk’s head and hovered over the metallic woman’s remains, buzzing like huge flies. They absorbed the broken parts that lay on the snow, then zoomed away as swift as swallows, vanishing into the night. Tusk turned and saw the dragon running into the storm, clutching the automaton’s head in its gaping mouth. Tusk looked around. The churned-up snow was the only evidence that this brief and violent fight had just occurred. Who were these mysterious enemies? Why had they come looking for him? He got on the snöskotor and started it up, then headed straight into the storm, following the tracks of the dragon. For the first time since finding himself in the ice cave, he finally felt ''awake. Chapter 4 — Conflux: Tusk raced across the dark snowy field in pursuit of the fire-breathing monster. He knew that the animal was not a true dragon—he had seen those in the flesh, ages ago. No, this thing must have been bred by the machine-woman from the long-dead cells of an ancient dinosaur. This modern age has its own brand of necromancers… The storm was raging so hard now that huge snowflakes flew straight at him like miniature shooting stars, blazing in the light of the snöskoter’s twin headlamps. He was gaining on his quarry even though the thing was fast! But it had nowhere to hide in the flat snowfields stretching for miles in all directions. Eventually he would wear it down. But what would he do when he caught it? The monster could not speak, so it couldn’t tell him why its metal master had come looking for him. Then why am I pursuing this thing into the unknown? Perhaps it was simply for the thrill of the chase. And Tusk did not like letting any enemy getting away from him. Maybe he would slay it and roast it on a spit. He’d eaten lizard before. He reckoned this one tasted like chicken too. His prey turned and ran toward a large dark hill. A flash of light shot from the formation, momentarily blinding Tusk. He slowed down and covered his eyes with his hand. Then the light went out, and when he looked up again the monster had vanished inside the hill. The closer he got he realized that the dark shape was some sort of man-made thing. He could see a ramp leading up the back end—that’s where his prey had fled. There was a huge U emblazoned on the side. It’s a transport vessel! Soon he could discern the outline of a flying ship with movable rocket thrusters and landing feet. It was sleek and beetle-like but big enough to contain an entire force of the war-golems and fire-breathers. Gunning the engine, he cursed in a flurry of dead languages. He must not let this thing get away! The snow machine zoomed through the night, the wind and snow blasting against Tusk’s face. Images flashed in his mind’s eye, one after another: the hideous visage of the horned gargoyle speaking in its ancient and foul tongue; the shopkeeper from the village and her questioning gaze; the lifeless mask of the machine-woman; and the face of the pretty young Asian woman he’d seen in Warg-gram fighting with the blue-skinned demon… Flames erupted from the ship’s engines as Tusk approached it. He twisted the throttle and slid straight up the ramp and into the ship’s cargo hold, leaping off the snöskoter and letting it crash into a stack of storage boxes held fast by netting. Tumbling onto the hard grated surface, he slipped Warg-gram from its sheath and sprung up into a battle stance, looking around for the ship’s crew. But all that he saw was the fire-breather. Chest heaving, the animal was huddled in the corner in the last stages of exhaustion. It dropped the automaton’s head that it had carried all the way back to the ship in its mouth, and the heavy thing clattered against the floor. Tusk sprang at the dinosaur, swinging his sword out in front of him. The beast jumped back and slammed into the wall like a cornered rat. It had nowhere to run. Tusk raised his weapon for the death blow, and the blade’s runes glowed to life. “Play time is over,” he said. But the floor gave out beneath Tusk before he could deliver the killing stroke, and he was flipped violently upside down, pulled toward the ceiling where he lay hanging like a piece of meat in a butcher’s shop. Warg-gram slipped from his grasp and clanged against the floor. He struggled wildly but he was trapped inside the net—a fly in a spider’s web; but this web was made of some sort of incredibly strong material. “Relax big fella.” Tusk twisted his head around toward the sound of the voice. Standing in the doorway to the cargo bay was a fiery shape. Tusk squinted. He was looking at a human form shaped from living lava. “Don’t struggle,” continued the stranger, speaking through an ugly slit of a mouth set in a featureless face. “You’re not goin’ anywhere. That’s Ultratine you’re wrapped up in—proprietary tech, of course. Each cord is a hundred times stronger than the cables that hold up the Golden Gate Bridge. I’m called Cinder, by the way. And you are?” Tusk ignored Cinder’s question and watched as the dinosaur shuffled forward cautiously like a wary cat until it stood directly underneath him. “Oh, I get it,” said Cinder. “Big quiet type. Suits you.” The dinosaur glanced up at the bound swordsman, then peered down at his weapon, snuffling at it. Reaching out its neck hesitantly, it picked up Warg-gram with its mouth. The handle instantly turned molten hot and the dinosaur—despite being a fire breather—howled in agony as several of its teeth melted. It flung aside the sword and ran down the ramp to plunge its mouth in the cooling snow. “Stupid little dragon,” Tusk said. “Nothing alive can touch Warg-gram except me.” Cinder laughed. “Riptor’s an idiot, right?” he said as he strolled over and stood beneath Tusk. “And those little creepy arms…pitiful. But the boss makes me work with her and Mr. Robot,” he continued, indicating the cyborg head lying on the floor. “It’s not like we don’t have an army of these things anyway, but this one—special. We will rebuild him,” he added in a mock serious voice, then gazed outside the ship at the dinosaur who was frantically biting at the snow in an effort to sooth her burned mouth. “Thanks for bringing back Fulgore’s head, Rip!” he said sarcastically. “Good fetch, doggie.” Tusk strained against the metal cords, but they would not move. In fact, they only constricted more. He was indeed immortal, but he was not all-powerful. He stopped struggling. “Your boss, as you call her, is the metal-woman?” he said. “I destroyed her.” Cinder chuckled. “You destroyed one of the ‘metal-woman’s’ bodies, Conan the Annoy-Her. She’s ubiquitous. She’s everywhere. Ones and zeroes, man. Ones and zeroes. Right now her consciousness is uploading into another frame back at the Pinnacle—the Ultratech HQ. And that’s where we’ll be going—at supersonic speed. As soon as Jurassic Dork out there stops cooling her mouth with yellow snow. Anyway, ARIA will enjoy dissecting you and your toy sword here. She likes to collect mysterious objects. It’s part of her programming.” “And who created you, little campfire?” asked Tusk. Cinder chuckled. “Oh hey, campfire! That’s a new burn… or… a really old one, judging by what we know of you. I bet in ‘ye olden tymes’ that insult would get someone’s dander up, eh? You’d draw rusty blades and all—knife fighting or whatnot—the breaking of mead benches on a sawdust floor…Sorry, caught up in the imagery there.” “What are you?” asked Tusk. He had never seen anything like this man and he was curious. “Oh, I’m another one of ARIA’s experiments. I was turned into this fiery cataclysm that you see before you by using alien DNA.” Cinder paused and put his hands on his hips. “Man, I don’t know why I’m telling you all of my secrets. I guess I just feel like we can be bros or something. I’ll come and visit you in your cage at HQ and we’ll play some Punch Fighter on the UltraBox and—hey look what you dropped!” Bending down nonchalantly, Cinder grabbed Warg-gram. And to Tusk’s astonishment and horror the molten man held fast to the blade—the sword that no entity other than Tusk had ever handled since the time of its making. Tusk swore profanely in a long dead barbarian tongue. “That did not sound nice,” laughed Cinder. “Good thing I don’t speak Neanderthal. I suppose my ears would turn red. Oh, wait. I don’t have any ears! But I like this pig-sticker,” he continued with mock admiration, examining the weapon. His burning face was reflected back in the mirror-like blade. “Think I’ll keep it.” The ramp started to close, and the dinosaur scrambled back up it and into the cargo hold just before the metal hinges locked into place, creating an airtight seal. Tusk felt his stomach lurch as the ship rose rapidly skyward. “Cut me free,” ordered Tusk. “Not gonna happen, Atilla the Dumb,” replied Cinder. Tusk laughed without mirth. “I’m glad that you appreciate my humor,” said Cinder. “I’m not laughing at your blather,” said Tusk. “I’m laughing because you are filled with hubris.” “Big word for a guy named after a walrus tooth,” said Cinder. “Cut me free,” said Tusk again. And he closed his eyes in concentration. “I told you, it ain’t gonna happen.” “I wasn’t talking to you.” The runes on Warg-gram blazed to life and Cinder’s arm lunged forward suddenly. “What the blazing hell!” cried Cinder. He tried to let go of the handle but he couldn’t. The blade pulled him against his will all around the cargo hold, hacking at everything in sight, throwing up sparks, and wreaking havoc. Riptor scurried up the stairs leading to the second level, and vanished from sight. Cinder staggered forward like a puppet and swung Warg-gram at Tusk, but the blade merely sliced through the Ultratine netting as though it were nothing more than string, leaving Tusk unscathed. The barbarian dropped to the floor. Slowly, he stood up to his full height. “Now make a door,” he commanded. Cinder cried out as Warg-gram, still held in his hand, plunged into the steel floor up to the hilt, then dragged him around in a circle, cutting through the metal sheeting. The instant Cinder completed the circle, the sword flew from his hand and Tusk caught it in mid-air by the handle. Lurching backwards, Cinder came to a stop against the cargo bay wall. Bursts of flame erupted from him, igniting the air around his body, causing a rippling distortion that wreathed him like a halo. “Nice tricks!” he said. “Forget that campfire nonsense…that thing you just did there with the remote controlled sword? THAT’s how you get someone… fired up!” Bringing his hands together palm upwards, Cinder sent forth a plume of fire in Tusk’s direction, but the barbarian jumped out of the way before it struck him, landing on the cutout section of the floor. It held for a split second before giving way with the screech of scraping steel. The next moment Tusk was falling through the cold night sky away from the ship—a ship that was now rocked with explosions because of Cinder’s errant attack. Tusk went into a dive position, holding Warg-gram out in front of him, the wind blasting his face as he reached terminal velocity. He reckoned he had a minute or so before he hit the ground. He thought about the young Asian woman he’d seen in Warg-gram. He thought about the blue-skinned warrior. He thought of the Ichoriens and their making song… He struck the ice with the sound of a bomb going off. And in that instant he remembered the name of the ugly horned monster he’d seen in the vision of the campfire…the one who spoke of flaying his soul. Gargos—the Shadow Lord. Moveset Combo Trait - Deflect Windows: None of Tusk's grounded Medium or Heavy punch attacks (including special moves) can be canceled at all, due to the large size and weight of his greatsword. However, for a brief moment during Medium or Heavy punches he will flash white, and if any attack hits him during this flash he will instantly deflect the attack and counter. Instinct Mode - 10,000 Years of Training: '''Enables Tusk to cancel any special move into another special move. Each time a cancel is used, a small piece of the Instinct meter is drained (in addition to the regular depletion that occurs when activated). Command Moves * '''Backstab - (Forward+MP) - Tusk swivels around the opponent and slashes them down. If not performed at close range, it becomes a very slow dashing stab move dealing incredible damage. * Spine Splitter - (Back+HP) - Tusk rears up before stabbing the ground with his greatsword, kicking up a wave of sparks. Can cause stagger. Can be charged by holding the button to increase range and damage, and can be dash-canceled. Destroys oncoming projectiles. * Skewer - (Up+HP) - Tusk leaps into the air and stabs the opponent while they're down. Can only be performed if the opponent is still suffering from a hard knockdown. * Forward Throw - (Forward+LP+LK) - Tusk grabs the opponent around the waist and suplexes them into the ground. * Back Throw - (Back+LP+LK) - Tusk jabs the opponent in the chest with the hilt of his sword, then swings behind them and slashes them in the back. Special Moves * Skull Splitter - (QCB+P) - Tusk brings his greatsword down overhead and smashes the ground. Can be performed midair. Works as a Knockdown Ender. * Conqueror - (DP+P) - Tusk performs a rising uppercut with his greatsword. Pressing (HP) while still midair will have Tusk spike the opponent down with a hilt bash. Works as a Damage Ender. * Immortal Spirit - (QCF+K) - Tusk dashes forwards. Avoids projectiles and can be canceled into other moves by pressing a button of any strength. Works as a Stagger Ender - the first ever instance of such. ** Moosejaw - (LP or LK) - Tusk performs a shoulder check. ** Collateral Damage - (MP or MK) ''- Tusk performs a short sliding kick. ** '''Destroyer' - (HP or HK) - Tusk spins and swings his greatsword down. Hits overhead. Shadow Moves * Shadow Skull Splitter '- ''(QCB+P+P) - Tusk performs five consecutive slashes with his greatsword. Can be performed midair, where Tusk brings his greatsword down and smashes the ground, hitting five times and kicking up a wave of sparks. * 'Shadow Conqueror '- (DP+P+P) - Tusk performs a rising uppercut with his greatsword that hits four times. Tusk can also spike the opponent down afterwards. * '''Shadow Immortal Spirit - (QCF+K) - Tusk performs a shoulder check that hits five times. Stage: Icehaven During an Ultra Combo, the flaming shipwreck in the background splits in half, and the prow begins to sink through the frozen sea. When both combatants remain idle for a while in the Icehaven stage, Tusk's remixed classic theme, "Stonehedge", will start to play. Ultra Combo: 25-Hits Quotes Trivia *According to designer Adam "Keits" Heart, Tusk has found he is an Immortal Swordsman, and unlike other returning characters he is not a "remake" but the original Tusk from Killer Instinct 2 who has survived for millennia. Heart described Tusk's fighting style as a transition from "patient bully" in the early game to "absolute berserker" when reaching Instinct Mode. Heart also humorously added that Tusk's new greatsword, Warg-gram, may well be "the biggest sword ever". *In Killer Instinct (2013), Tusk seems to have a tendency to spout one-liners like an action movie hero, reflecting his original basis on Conan the Barbarian. *His facial design and voice-over for Killer Instinct (2013) are inspired by Chris Hemsworth from Thor. *The rune markings tattooed between Tusk's shoulder blades in Killer Instinct (2013) roughly translate to "In Strength There Is Wisdom". *His default retro costume is similar to those of popular fictional characters like He-Man & Conan. *Tusk's "Primal" retro costume bears a striking resemblance to the outfit worn by Maya in Killer Instinct 2, and to her own retro costume in Killer Instinct (2013). *Narwhals, arctic water predators that are characterized by their large protruding "tusks", are featured in Tusk's Icehaven background stage. The stage also shows a polar bear hunting seals. Gallery Killer Instinct 2 Tusk11.jpg Spinvtusk.jpg Ktg.jpg Tusk.jpg ki2_tusk_render2.jpg ki2_tusk_mov.jpg Killer Instinct (2013) 24 tusk03.jpg|Tusk's teaser trailer Tusk.png|Tusk Returns Tusk's Stage.png|Tusk's Stage: Icehaven Tusk - Icehaven.png|Tusk's Icehaven Tusk vs Spinal.png|Tusk vs. Spinal Tusk vs Kim Wu.png|Tusk vs. Kim Wu Tusk new.png|Tusk debut. Tusk_Default_Color_2.png|Default Color 2. Tusk_Default_Color_3.png|Default Color 3. Tusk_Default_Color_4.png|Default Color 4. Tusk_Default_Color_5.png|Default Color 5. Tusk_Default_Color_6.png|Default Color 6. Tusk_Default_Color_7.png|Default Color 7. Tusk_Default_Color_8.png|Default Color 8. Tusk_Default_Color_9.png|Default Color 9. Tusk_Retro_Color_1.png|Retro costume. Tusk_Retro_Color_2.png|Retro Color 2. Tusk_Retro_Color_3.png|Retro Color 3. Tusk_Retro_Color_4.png|Retro Color 4. Tusk_Retro_Color_5.png|Retro Color 5. Tusk_Retro_Color_06.png|Retro Color 6. TuskRetro7.jpg|Retro Color 7. Tusk_Accessories_Valhalla.png|Valhalla default accessories. Tusk_Accessories_Executioner.png|Executioner Color 5 default accessories. Tusk_Accessories_GearPunk.png|Gearpunk default accessories. Tusk_Accessories_Retro_Primal.png|Primal Retro accessories. Tusk_Accessories_Retro_Gladiator.png|Gladiator Retro accessories. Tusk_Accessories_Retro_Suplex.png|Suplex Retro accessories. Tusk wallpaper.png Category:KI2 Characters Category:Characters Category:Male Characters Category:Neutral Characters Category:Good Characters Category:Killer Instinct 2013 Characters